1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to exercise and rehabilitation devices and systems and more particularly to an exercise/rehabilitation system that utilizes a shoulder stretcher assembly that connects to a support structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of resistance cables for exercising is well known in the prior art. There are a multitude of different exercise systems and devices that have been previously disclosed or are currently in the market to supply the increasing demand for physical fitness. Many of these utilize resistance cables. For example, as far back as 1902, U.S. Pat. No. 704,840, issued to J. C. Korth et disclosed the use of an exercising machine employing elastic cords. U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,321, issued to N. D. Macoulis, discloses the use of elastic cords and a pole. U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,119, issued to R. P. Davis, discloses the use of a machine for exercising the arm muscles while the user stands upon a base.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,734, issued to W. Lee et al, discloses an elastic resistance type exercising device having a single length of latex rubber surgical tubing whose two ends are formed into size handle loops by the use of leather fasteners. The handle loops are sleeved with vinyl tubing, and plugs are inserted in each of the open ends of tubing, that have twice passed through the fasteners to form the loops, to prevent the tubing from being pulled out of the fasteners. A user grasps the handle loops or secures them about his ankles and pulls against the elastic resistance. Two additional flexible sleeves are slidably mounted over the portion of the elastic tubing between the fasteners.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,543, issued to J. H. Richardson, discloses a pull type exercising device including a single piece of elastic tubing with loops formed at the respective ends of the tubing by s-shaped hooks that receive folded ends of the tubing. On each looped portion there is a sleeve. A slideable ring with an anchoring attachment is mounted on a tubular member. A user inserts an arm or leg in the loops and pulls his arm or leg and pulls on the anchored tubular member.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,749, issued to R. L. Broadwater, discloses a portable exercise device that includes an elastic cord with two ends. Each of the ends of the cord is received into opposite sides of a coupling. A clamp element is provided around a portion of the coupling. The clamp element compresses the coupling around the elastic cord to hold the cord in place inside the coupling. A handle may be provided around the coupling. The handle may be made from a resilient material so that the hand of the user may squeeze it. Additionally, end plugs may be provided for the handle to prevent the handle from slipping off the coupling.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,071, issued to Craig D. Norton, discloses an exercising device that comprises an elongated elastic cord with a foot-receiving loop formed at each end and a hollow hand grip with an axial bore extending from end to end with a longitudinally extending split permitting one or two lengths of the elastic rope to be inserted into the bore. The hand grip may be squeezed by the hand for causing the wall of the bore to frictionally grip the rope. The hand muscles are exercised by this squeezing action on the hand grip and the arm and shoulder muscles are exercised when the hand grip pulls on the rope to elongate it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,874, issued to C. G. Sleichter, III et al, disclose an exercise device that includes an elastic loop having free ends spliced together, generally tubular handles disposed in diametrically opposed relation to one another on the loop and an elastic retainer sleeve surrounding intermediate portions of the loop between the handles. The device is conformable for use in performing a wide variety of exercises and for performing a selected number of repetitions of each exercise by grasping the handles and stretching against the resistance load of the loop and the retainer means. The handles can be grasped either by the hands or by a combination of hands and feet to perform various exercises or may be grasped between the feet or ankle portions to perform other exercises. In modified forms of the invention, one of the handles is made rigid so as to simulate a racquet or golf club handle to be used in practicing forehand and backhand strokes or to simulate the golf swing. The exercises may be performed effectively in either the standing, sitting or fully prone position. Other modified forms of invention include an anchor strap to facilitate practicing of the golf swing and a splice for joining together free ends of the loop into a unitary member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,862, issued to J. V. Miller discloses an elastic resistance exerciser comprising an elongated elastic member having a loop formed at each end, a tubular handle slidably fit onto each loop of the elastic member, and a self-locking slider having three holes; with the elastic member slidably threaded through two of the holes and terminating the end of each loop in the third hole of each slider; the slider being adjustable along the elastic member, whereby the size of the loop may be varied by moving the slider with no tension on the loop, but self-locking by the application of tension to the loop. A preferred embodiment provides a band of flexible material attached approximately to the center of the length of an elastic member having more than one elastic element.
The above-mentioned patents each use elastic cable which functions as a resistance tool for exercising the body. In some cases the elastic/rubber cable is the only thing necessary to achieve the complete workout. In other cases a secondary product, such as a door, a handle or some sort of stationary device is required in order to use the product as designed.
There are a variety of patents that disclose exercise systems related to chairs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,298, issued to J. L. Curtis; U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,643, issued to M. D. Taylor; U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,171, issued to M. E. Casey; U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,353, issued to L. Teach; U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,633, issued to B. A. Rice; U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,247, issued to J. F. Sterling; U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,547, issued to J. F. Sterling; U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,099, issued to R. B. Carlson; U.S. Pat. No. 1,279,120, issued to J. H. Kellogg; U.S. Publicn No. 2002/0173412 to K. W. Stearns; and, U.S. Publicn No. 2002/0077228 to R. W. McBride each disclose chair-related related exercise devices which have generally complicated designs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,423, issued to M. R. Farran, discloses a furniture article, such as a seating article, for residential and office use that includes a frame housing, one or more exercise apparatus that are located in the armrest, the back and the seating base. The frame is selectively covered to provide the seating article with the appearance of a conventional furniture article used in the home or office. Each exercise apparatus employs a cable extending through the covering to communicate a source of resistive force from within the frame to a user outside of the frame. On the end of the cable outside of the covering is a handle or a foot stirrup by which the user pulls the cable out of the seating article. A cover conceals the handle or foot stirrup as well as the end of the cable while the exercise aspects of the furniture article are not being utilized. As in the other patents, discussed above, the Farran system is somewhat complicated. Furthermore, it is non-mobile and is limited in the amount of workout routines allotted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,296, issued to L. Wang et al., discloses a chair mounting exercising unit includes two swinging arms having a bottom end fastened to either end of a substantially U-shaped locating rod being fixed to the back of a chair by a knob controlled lock device and a slotted side extension plate in the middle at an outer side movably hung on a screw bolt at either end of a horizontal frame on the back of the chair and a top end coupled with a pulley wheel assembly, and two elastic pull ropes respectively inserted through either pulley wheel assembly and fastened to either swinging arm and an opposite end coupled with a handle. With the increasing population of elderly persons and their desire for increased exercise there is a concomitant growing need for exercise equipment that the elderly can easily and efficiently use. The '296 patent system has two swinging arms each having a bottom end connected to either end of the locating rod and attached to either locating wheel. A mobile/moving system is not generally preferred for use with the elderly and is somewhat complicated. Positioning of the swinging arms requires time and labor. The present invention, as will be disclosed below, is designed for specific exercises and is excellent for users who have limited range of movement. It allows for a very stable environment minimizing movement in the setup process and eliminating the need for pulley arms. The present invention also allows the user to change cables without having to get up from the chair since all of the cable connections are set up on the sides of the chair versus the cables connections being on the back of the chair as disclosed in the '296 patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,167, issued to G. D. Piaget et al., discloses a strength training exercise apparatus includes a frame having an upright back rest, and a horizontal seat, and further includes opposing arm members pivotally mounted to the back rest. The arm members are movable through an arcuate range of motion, and include locking pins for selectively locking the arm members in desired angular positions. The apparatus still further includes a resistance assembly consisting of a fixed anchor mounted on the frame, a movable anchor which is movable relative to the fixed anchor, and a plurality of elastomeric resistance cords releasably secured between the movable anchor and the fixed anchor to provide resistance to movement of the movable anchor. A pull line is mounted on guide pulleys along the length of the arm members, and is received in association with the movable anchor whereby outward movement of the pull line with respect to the arm members causes movement of the movable anchor with respect to the fixed anchor. The exercise apparatus further consists of a leg member pivotally mounted to the seat, and a second resistance assembly including a second movable anchor coupled to the leg member, and a second plurality of elastomeric resistance cords secured between the fixed anchor and the second movable anchor for providing resistance to pivotal movement of the leg member. Seniors need ease of use when it involves getting on and off of the chair. The '167 patent system has opposing arm members pivotally mounted to the back rest. The arm members are movable through an arcuate range of motion and include locking pins for selectively locking the arm members in desired angular positions. While using the '167 device the user typically needs to get off of the chair in order to make the rear and lower connections. As noted above and as will be disclosed below, the exercise chair of the present invention allows the user to remain seated to make the necessary connections on the side of the chair.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,836, issued to P. Chen, discloses an exerciser includes a foot support secured in front of a base. A lever has a lower portion pivotally coupled to the base and has a bracket and a seat cushion pivotally secured on tops for allowing the seat cushion to be moved upward and downward. A tube is secured to the bracket for supporting one or more pulleys. The base has one or more pulleys secured to the front and the rear portions. One or more resilient members are engaged with the pulleys. A handle may be secured to the resilient member for conducting pulling exercises. The tube and a pulley may be moved upward and downward in concert with the seat cushion. The present invention does not have a secured foot rest and does not require the use of levers. The '836 design requires many steps for exercise setup and disassembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,056, issued to T. F. Cataldi, Jr. et al., discloses an exercise device attachable to the seat portion of a chair to resist forces applied in performing isotonic exercises. The device includes a strap securable to a chair and a seat pad positionable on the strap for supporting an exerciser and has D-rings secured to the strap and the seat pad for attachment of an elastic band for performing arm isotonic exercises with a hand band attachment. The device also includes a front flap securable at one end between the seat pad and strap and securable at an opposite end to a downwardly forward portion of the chair for performing leg isotonic exercises with an attached elastic band and an ankle strap attachment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,133, issued to R. C. Shugg, discloses a seat mounted workout station system is provided including a seating assembly having a seat portion and a back portion. Also included is a frame mounted on a rear surface of the back portion of the seating assembly. Next provided is a plurality of tension members connected to the frame and further connected to cables which are routed through the frame via pulleys. Hand grips are connected to the cables for being gripped by a user.
As noted above, with the increasing population of elderly persons and their desire for increased exercise there is an associated growing need for exercise equipment that the elderly can easily and efficiently use. This population has increasing needs for shoulder stretching equipment.
Additionally, people of any age suffer from various debilitating shoulder conditions, such frozen shoulder syndrome, bursitits, etc. As will be disclosed below, the present invention satisfies various rehabilitation/exercise needs.